Friday, October 8, 2010

Yarn

I've been doing pretty good with spinning up a skein of yarn each weekend (a goal I started in September). Sometimes I'm working into the week to complete it, but I'm doing it. I started a log where I write in when a skein is completed. I don't know why I didn't think to do this before. It's neat to see what I've made. The log notes the date the skein was completed, who the fiber came from, how many ounces it is and how many yards long. I wish I had documentation for previous skeins. But at least I am starting it now.

On my swift, I put slash marks to show the size for 1 yard skeins, 1.5 yard skeins (what I usually do) and 2 yard skeins. It's hard to see the marker on this picture, in real life it's easier to see. The slash shows where I need to put the lever to create a specific size skein. This way I don't have to measure it out every time I make a skein.



Last week I completed this skein:




We continue to brainstorm ideas on how to increase yarn production. While I have increased our production rate significantly by making a skein a week, that still only gives us 50 skeins for a year (realizing some weekends I just won't make the goal). We have more fiber than that (which will just compound every year). We are looking at having yarn made at a mill, and/or having rovings made. While I hate to spend money on having rovings made when I can do it myself, it sure does slow down our production rate. A bit of money into it could create a bigger outcome. Having yarn for sale would so be nice! At our current rate, we use the yarn faster than I can create it, so we never have any for sale. Sales of yarn would not only help our bottom line, but would make available this wonderful yarn for others to enjoy also.

3 comments:

Lou Harmon said...

Very pretty.

Ertman-Trowbridge Family said...

Very nice work! The yarn looks great!

Cathy said...

The money you spend having roving done up more than makes up for your time! Especially if you put like fleeces together. :)

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